Everybody has a right to be a parent. The good news is that it’s now possible for any couple, regardless of their identification or sexual orientation, to have a family. For a kid to be born, it requires an egg donor, a sperm donor, and a uterus. The good news is that it is now possible for lgtbqia San Diego couples to have a biological baby. However, for LGBTQIA+ and same-sex couples to have their biological child, there is an extra step or two to make you an intended parent. Today, some agencies are open to LGBTQIA+ surrogacy. Here is a look at the basic steps for LGBTQIA+ couples to get a biological baby.

Egg Donation

Egg donors refer to women willing to donate their eggs to LGBTQIA+ or same-sex couples so they can have their own babies. Egg donors should be under 29 years and in excellent health. The egg donor starts a series of medications under the care of a fertility specialist. These fertility medications cause the donor’s ovaries to release more eggs than normal.

After the eggs are retrieved via a simple medical procedure, the egg donor is given her agreed-upon sum, and her part is over. Also, important to note is that you don’t have to find an egg donor through an agency. A family member or friend might be willing to donate an egg for same-sex or LGBTQIA+ couples. However, the agency route is the way to go if you prefer anonymity as a couple.

Fertilization

After eggs are retrieved from your egg donor, the next step is fertilizing them. For a male same-sex couple, both men can provide sperm or choose one to provide the sperm. Lab technicians will use the sperms to fertilize the eggs via in-vitro fertilization. The next step is to put the fertilized eggs into a uterus. For that to happen, LGBTQIA+ or same-sex couples often require a surrogate.

Surrogate Mother

Some women are willing to be surrogates for their genuine love of children and to help build families. While the women are compensated, they don’t do it just for money. A good surrogate should have a history of handling pregnancy without complications. There are two types of surrogacies; traditional and gestational surrogacy. Traditional surrogacy involves a surrogate using her eggs, meaning they share a biological link to the child. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother has no genetic link to the child, as her eggs are not used in creating the baby. It is recommendable for LGBTQIA+ and same-sex couples to use a gestational surrogate to avoid the risk of a legal claim.

Pregnancy

Once the surrogate is successfully pregnant, she will stay in the specialized care of a fertility specialist for close examination. After the first trimester, the surrogate will be cared for by an obstetrician throughout the pregnancy until birth.

Ultimately, surrogacy is the way to go if you are a same-sex or LGBTQIA+ couple looking to add a baby to your family. Even better, the surrogacy process is currently legal on some level in all the US states except New York, Nebraska, Michigan, and Louisiana. The rest of the states permit surrogacy but have some hurdles, such as the need for one or both of the intended parents to adopt the child after birth.